Languid Dreams
by Danika Morningstar
Summary: The trials and tribulations within the lives of two royal lions: Mufasa and Taka. There are two sons and only one throne how will this conflict be resolved?
1. The Great Divide

CHAPTER ONE: THE GREAT DIVIDE

As the sun rose in the east, its rays steadily spread across the sea of healthy grassland. It warmed the bare earth, penetrated through the forests and reflected brightly on the near-still surface of the water hole. Ground mist, lingering near the muddy banks of the river, burned away smoothly in the gradual heat. First light touched down gently, signifying a special day for the denizens of the Pride Lands. 

King Ahadi's roar echoed through the calm morning, beckoning the presence of creatures large and small, diurnal and nocturnal--it was a day greatly anticipated by all. The massive lion was settled on the edge of the promontory, observing the lands that rolled out before him. Such a beautiful land he cared for, a land that would see many successors after him. A proud smile crossed his face as thoughts of his sons filled his mind. 

It was not long before Uru, his wife and Queen, slunk sleepily from the mouth of the communal cavern. She pressed her firm weight against him in a loving gesture and Ahadi uttered deep, affectionate chuffs in greeting. Uru's eyes, a deep and sparkling green, gazed at him sleepily. 

"Has it been so long, my dearest? Our sons are six moons old and shall soon blossom into healthy adults. Please," she begged of her mate, ears curving back delicately, "tell me it has not been so long!" 

The faint smile on the lioness's face belied her true feelings and Ahadi sensed this with no trouble. "I am afraid it has, Uru. Soon they will be walking the borders, fathering cubs and protecting our lands." He drew back and took note of the melancholy expression of his Queen. "However," he began with a smile, "that will leave us with enough time to stroll to the jasmine patches, to watch the moon rise over the bluff..." he gestured with his broad paw, "to enjoy the riches of life!" 

Uru laughed lightly, a lovely lilting sound to Ahadi's ears. He admired her strength and, equally, her soft demeanor. Without her, he would still be rough around the edges. She was the buffer to many problems he had to face and he thanked Aiheu every day that he did not face them alone. 

"I suppose I would enjoy a day or two off of my feet. I simply cannot imagine one of our children taking over such a vast territory. Aiheu knows your paws are worn by the time you return to us. What if it's too much responsibility? Could they handle such an intense duty?" Uru asked. 

Ahadi's eyes swept over the Pride Lands and he inhaled deeply, taking in the sweet morning aromas. "I have given this much thought," he said. "To observe our sons mock-hunting is a glorious omen to their respective duties. Mufasa takes advantage of his musculature, rushing toward his prey with the intention of taking it down with his power. Taka, however, uses a different technique: he rests in wait with bated breath. He captures his prey by cunning and wit." 

The great lion looked to his mate, seeing the light of life twinkling within her eyes--the proud tears of a mother, the strength of a huntress and the power of a queen. "Our eldest flexes his muscles while our youngest flexes his mind. Tell me, dearest, who would you choose to succeed us?" 

Uru dipped her head lightly, casting her gaze down to the base of the great rock. The first of the guests had begun to arrive, a lively and dizzying herd of zebras filed neatly. They murmured and nickered to each other but their voices failed to reach their great heights. 

"It is a painful decision, Ahadi. The day they were born was filled with both joy and sorrow--joy that we had two beautiful children. Sorrowful because I knew this day would come and we would be forced to choose." 

The lioness rolled her shoulders lightly, eyes lidding as a gentle breeze ruffled her fur, cooling her skin. Presently she turned to face her mate, leaning into his deep burgundy mane. "I would choose--" 

Laughter chased the serene scene away as two adolescent lions trotted out of the sleeping chambers. The larger of the two was a beautiful golden color that rivaled the sun in brilliance. His smaller brother's fur matched the ceremonious color of spilt blood. Both had unruly tufts of hair growing from the crowns of their heads down between their shoulder blades, as great marking in their society. 

"Ma, Taka woke me," the golden child pouted, pawing gently at his mother's side. Adolescent they may have been, they still behaved like children when they could get away with it. 

Uru tilted her head gently, eyes aglow with motherly love. "Mufasa, today is important. I'm sure he did not want you to miss a moment of it." 

Mufasa looked to both his mother and father and frowned. "Sure--but he did it by biting my tail!" 

Ahadi offered a low-toned chuckle, glancing sidelong to his youngest son. Taka stood behind Mufasa with a giant grin spread across his maw. 

The King nuzzled his Queen gently, muttering to her, "It appears your wish as come true--they may be grown in body, but they are still cubs in spirit!" 

The lioness's contagious laughter filled the air as she leaned deeper into her mate, her worries for her children's future slowly seeping away as the sun climbed higher into the sky. 


	2. The Mantlement

CHAPTER TWO: MANTLEMENT

The morning turned away to reveal the heat and excitement of the afternoon--it was almost time for the ceremony. Thousands of animals crowded at the base of Pride Rock, talking joyously within their respective herds. They gathered here before the most powerful family in the Pride Lands without fear of being attacked; royal law put a hold on hunting during the day of any special event. However, once the ceremony was completed, they would return to their own stretch of grassland and resume their lives.

One zebra calf nudged his mother's neck lightly and looked into her large, heavily-lashed eyes. "Mama," he began, pawing at the ground with his hoof, "when is it going to start?"

The mare smiled down at her child, giving a knowing side-long glance to her herd sisters and pulled her lips back in an equine grin. "Fairly soon, Batobato. Be paitent--this is a 'once in a lifetime' event for our kind." Though the words carried a dark meaning, young Batobato failed to pick up on them.

Suddenly, a great hush fell over the massive crowd as King Ahadi's powerful figure appeared at the edge of the promontory. The wind blew lightly, kicking his full and beautiful mane up in minute dances. The pride in his eyes reached through the great distance between the lion and his subjects and the entire crowd felt strangely humbled.

"Every child's first steps signify the creation of the path of life--a path that is fraught with danger, love, excitement and sadness. Each step brings one closer to their destiny. For a lion, walking this very path leads to the right to bear a mane, to take a mate and to take their place in the Circle of Life." The king spoke in his deep voice, commanding the attention of all creatures attended.

Uru took her place next to the wise lion, smiling down upon the menagerie stretched endlessly before her. "Our sons have had their share of experiences; from cuts to bruises, from pain to love... the youthful broken heart, the secretly shed tear. Many of you have witnessed these events for yourself. Today, however, they will experience something new and cherished before you all."

Ahadi smiled lovingly to his mate and begain to speak again, his voice never wavering though the faint sparkle of tears could be detected in his golden eyes. "Their paws have walked the path through childhood and have now reached a new journey: adulthood. They will accompany me on the morning and evening strolls, fall in love, bare children and rule with all the might they have."

The regal lioness spoke once more, having no trouble keeping the attention of the creatures below. "Six moons ago you met the two Princes of the Pride Lands, Mufasa and Taka. Soon, you will be meeting the lioness who will take my place when I am no longer of the earth. Today... you will meet the lion who will stand in Ahadi's paw prints and assume his rightful place as King."

The royal pair offered the crowd beneath them a polite nod and wandered back toward the communal den and out of sight. The pause in the ceremony was filled with many excited voices: neighing, chattering, squeaking, growling, chirping. Many of the older creatures--those fortunate enough to escape the dangers of Africa--bickered with their neighbors about the decision.

"No-no-no, it will be Mufasa! He's so strong and brave!" A wildebeest stated to her sister, tail in constant motion to drive away the flies.

Her sister shook her head wildly, ears flapping against the sides of her face. "It will be Taka! He's so intelligent and sweet, who could resist?"

Meanwhile, the lionesses that made up Ahadi's pride stood beneath the shade of an old red rock fig, watching intently. They were just as hungry for the information as the wildebeest sisters below, murmuring to one another lively. One lioness, a petite-framed girl with peachy fur and strikingly blue eyes, grinned and pawed at her sister. "It will be Taka! I've seen the way Ahadi admires him, Sarabi."

Sarabi snorted playfully and swung a large paw at the other, grinning. "Oh, don't you mean the way you admire him, Sarafina?"

The two erupted into giggles, causing stern looks from the elder lionesses around them.

"Sarabi! Sarafina! Hush yourselves!" Mojamala said, brows furrowed. She had a pained expression on her otherwise lovely visage, ears turned back delicately.

"Sorry, mama," Sarafina said and lowered her head shamefully. However, when she knew her mother wasn't looking, she would offer Sarabi silly expressions--it caused them both to fall into fits of quiet laughter.

Both the lionesses and the massive collection of the Pride Lands' denizens fell silent when two familiar forms took the place of Uru and Ahadi--the Princes, Mufasa and Taka.


	3. Brotherly Love

CHAPTER THREE: BROTHERLY LOVE

As Mufasa and Taka approached the edge of the promontory, a grey-bearded baboon followed them energetically. He was aging rather gracefully--he himself had performed all of Ahadi's ceremonies proudly. When Taka began to fall behind his older brother, the baboon swatted him lightly with his staff. Taka turned swiftly and yelped loudly. 

"Ouch! Jeez, Rafiki!" Taka muttered, pouting slightly. The baboon only chuckled and urged him to continue forward. 

When the two brothers reached the edge a great explosion of sound arose from the gathered animals beneath them. Cheers, hollars, whoops, neighs, trumpeting--it was indeed a warm welcome for the two young lions. Mufasa grinned and nodded down to them all while Taka stood, completely humbled by the greeting. 

Rafiki moved to the right of Mufasa and shook his staff, the dried gourds making a great rattling sound. After a few moments the rejoicing cries died down to mere murmurs and the baboon yelled loudly, "I proudly present to you Mufasa and Taka - the Princes of the Pride Lands!" 

Mufasa smiled warmly at his brother and Taka half-heartedly returned it, feeling his muscles tighten. This was the day he had been dreading since childhood--today he would be humiliated in front of all of his brother's subjects. He would never be King... he would simply be allowed to live in the pride with select mating rights. There was no glory for him here. 

The old baboon continued, his fangs glistening in the warm sunlight. "Wait-wait-wait..! I have presented them all wrong!" He paused, glancing behind him to Ahadi and Uru. The two had taken a comfortable position out of sight of the massive gathering, leaning into each other lovingly. Ahadi smiled and dipped his head, telling Rafiki to continue silently. 

"They are the princes, yes. Though I bet all of you have an idea who will be the next king." Rafiki grinned, his mangled teeth clinched together tightly. Mufasa swelled with pride while his younger brother stood dejected. Taka had known this day was soon coming...but he was still far from prepared for the great blow to his pride. The old baboon continued, his voice ringing loudly and clearly in the air, "Yes, yes, you are all correct--they will both be King!" 

Taka's ears turned back immediately and he issued a great gasp. He turned his emerald eyes to Mufasa's large, muscular figure. "...What!" He nearly screamed, rushing toward his brother's side. "I will rule with you?" 

Mufasa laughed loudly, pushing his forehead firmly against Taka's shoulder. "Isn't that great? We can rule together!" 

Rafiki cackled, shaking his staff once again loudly. "The two future kings, Mufasa and Taka!" 

The two brothers positioned themselves once again, both taking in deep breaths. They expelled the air in two great, ringing roars--the earth vibrated with their ferocity and the intertwined thunder echoed for miles around. 

After the ceremony was completed, the royal family filed back into the communal den, exhausted from all the festives. The hunting party had, the night before, secured two large antelopes and had cached them in one of the many small caverns in the great rock. The feast was impeccable--all ate to their heart's content and now rested like stones on the cool granite surface of the cavern. The lionesses' bellies were full and round and the food had taken its expected affect on them--sleep. 

Mufasa and Taka stole away in the cool evening, travelling along the paths cut out by the elements around Pride Rock. Though they were rightfully tired, they felt that words were more important than sleep. Mufasa eventually paused on a shaded bluff, glancing out westward to the setting sun. "Is this all right?" 

Taka nodded and took his place next to Mufasa, folding his lean haunches beneath his slight frame. He had a pensive expression on his face as his eyes drifted to the rolling hills to the west. "Mufasa," he began carefully, unsure how to delve into what he considered such a touchy subject. 

Mufasa tipped his ears back toward his brother's voice, eyes never leaving the gentle rolls of the west. The evening sky was painted with glorious golds, reds and blues--a royal combination of beauty. The shrill cry of a bird wheeling overhead broke the awkward silence for a mere moment. 

"When father began telling us about the honor of becoming a king, I have had a thorn in my heart. I knew without a doubt that you would secure that position and I would be left to serve beneath you." The ruddy-furred lion began, his eyes falling to his paws. "It wouldn't be quite so bad, I know, but it would have taken my pride and my ambitions. I would have been a shell of myself." 

Mufasa turned to observe his younger brother lovingly, his golden eyes twinkling in the fading light. "You know I wouldn't have let father get away with that! I would have refused the throne. He simply would have had to live forever." 

Taka laughed with a hitch in his voice, admiring his brother for trying to make the subject a light one. "I love you, brother. Though we have had our share of disagreements... and fights... I still love you." 

The older and larger of the two leaned into his brother and smiled. "I love you too, Taka. You're my best friend. Nothing will ever change that." 


	4. Savannah Blossoms

CHAPTER FOUR: SAVANNAH BLOSSOMS

The weeks following the mantlement of Mufasa and Taka found the two strutting about their territory, smug with satisfaction. Though many of the younger lionesses were growing tired of such colorful displays of ego, the elder females simply smiled, remembering a time when Ahadi himself had done the same. Their manes were growing in, mere sprouts here-and-there, their muscles filling out as they sparred playfully... their interests in the lionesses rising rapidly. 

Sarabi had been Mufasa's greatest friend, aside from Taka, and it seemed as though his mantlement only brought them closer together. They spent hours together watching creatures gather at the watering hole, holding nonsensical coversations. When the sun began to set, they would trek off to the jasmine patches and stargaze. It was, to say the least, a bit unsettling for Taka. 

Mother, father and cub were settled at the mouth of the communal cavern, shaded by the great red rock fig. The sky burned azure above, free of any signs of disturbance. Large birds wheeled overhead, crying their sad songs into the sweet air. 

"Mama, Mufasa has been gone for hours. Shouldn't he be here training with us?" Taka asked of Uru, his still-slight body settled next to Ahadi. "It is important that he learn this..." 

Uru could pick up on her son's frustration quite easily--she knew Taka inside and out. His dreams, his hopes, his pains and his fears, they were hers as well. She smiled tenderly to her youngest son and chose her words carefully. "Perhaps it is not he who should be here... but you who should be out, enjoying your youth while you still can?" 

Taka's ears fell and he sighed lightly. "You're right, mother. Mufasa has his queen chosen." His eyes swept to the great sky, perhaps searching. "It seems as though I will be attending my own marriage alone." 

The ruddy-furred boy offered his parents a rueful smile and climbed to his paws. He started toward the sloping path that lead down to the front of Pride Rock when his father's voice rang in his ears. 

"Taka. You are the most observant child I've ever encountered. Can you honestly tell me that you have not noticed Sarafina?" The great lion offered, his expression sad and regal. "You feel pained by your loneliness... but Sarafina has lost a friend as well. Stroll with her, you may cheer one another's spirits." 

The adolescent turned to face his father, brows furrowed in confusion. "I do not pine for her," he explained, noting how hard this was to admit. "She is very beautiful... but she is not the lioness who has stolen my heart." 

Ahadi and Uru's expressions of surprise put a pang in Taka's soul and he turned to leave. 

The evening found Taka wandering through the vast fields south of Pride Rock. He hurt deeply--and for many reasons. He had loved Muradi for many moons and felt his emotion unrequited. He had turned away the girl who loved him, though indirectly. His brother had taken a greater interest in Sarabi recently and he had been left alone to his thoughts. Though he would be King, what joy would there be for him? He did not know if he held Muradi's heart the way she held his. Would he be forced into a loveless union for appearances? To sire cubs that would perhaps pick up on their parents' strained relationship? 

He quested through the grasses until he came to the Kivumi stream, lapping at its flowing surface to quench his thirst. The tall elephant grass had been cleared here from ages of visitors, a peaceful pocket in the hunter's domain. He sighed and stretched himself out parallel to the bank of the stream, casting his sorrowful eyes skyward. The first twinklings of stars could be seen, cold and glaring down at him. 

He allowed his thoughts to cease as he star-gazed, though his ears picked up the barely perceivable sound of approachal. Something was coming--but he wasn't going to flee. He could detect Muradi's lovely aroma anywhere--a romanic mixture of jasmine and honey. His heart began to race as she drew closer to him. 

The lioness was the daughter of two valuable members of the pride. Her mother was Uru's second-in-command in battle and hunting, a skillful female who had travelled here with her mate from a land sick with drought. Her father had proved countless times his worth to King Ahadi, a friend and a confidante, a powerful male who assisted the King in conflicts with other creatures. 

She was a princess in her own right--noble and gentle, kind and loving. There wasn't a soul who didn't adore the young Muradi; she commanded respect even at such a young age. Taka had spent most of his childhood pining for her, stealing glances of her while he was supposed to be learning the lessons of the hunt. She moved so gracefully, like running water, so peacefully. She was the epitome of perfection to the young lion. His heart ached for her. 

The grasses rustled lightly and she stepped from them, light blue eyes gleaming even in the falling light. Taka sucked in a deep breath, rising to his paws clumsily. She shared the same dark coat as he, though she had retained her cubhood rosettes--they ghosted along her flanks and on her forehead. Her outer appearance may have been dark, but her soul was pure light. 

"Taka-habu, I did not expect to find you here this evening." Muradi said, her voice light against the cooling evening air. She offered him a beautiful smile and stepped closer to him, curious. "Why are you not with your brother?" 

The young male drew away shyly, eyes meeting with anything but her beauty. "I.. he's with Sarabi, enjoying the night. I was simply..." He could come up with no good excuse, retiring himself to an uncomfortable silence. What could you possibly say to someone like Muradi? 

Muradi grinned, peering at Taka. "I see he's fallen in love with her. They are fortunate--not many find their matches so early." She folded her lean haunches beneath her blossoming body, tilting her head back to take in the glistening stars overhead. "Our parents had luck in the game of love. Don't you wish for such an all-consuming passion?" 

Taka could only swallow hard, feeling the heat of her body next to his own. How long he had waited for this day, how he had dreamed of sitting shoulder-to-shoulder with her as he was tonight. "Y-y-yes," he stammered out, biting his tongue. He sounded like an idiot! What exquisite misery! 

Muradi turned slightly, preparing to speak when a loud crashing sound came from the west. The grasses parted gracelessly and Sarafina stumbled out of them, grinning widely. "Taka! I've found you!" She cried, hardly able to contain herself. 

"Sarafina--!" Taka said, brows furrowing in confusion. Had she followed his scent so far from home? He gritted his teeth lightly as Muradi climbed to her paws. His eyes pleaded with her, but she failed to notice. 

Muradi moved toward Sarafina, bumping her forehead against the other's shoulder lovingly. "'Fina, I see you've travelled quite a while to be with Taka," she mused, casting the adolescent male a knowing glance. She assumed that the two had been smitted since cubhood--they were always paired in the mock-battles and seemed to genuinely care for one another. "I'll take my leave so you two may be alone. Good evening!" 

The ruddy-furred lioness started off through the grasses. Eventually her lovely scent eluded Taka's nostrils and all he was left with was Sarafina. He glanced to her and sighed lightly, settling down to his side once more. "What brings you here?" He asked, his voice wavering slightly. 

Sarafina moved toward Taka and beamed down at him. "Your father told me you were lonely... I thought we could watch the stars together." She daintily rested herself at Taka's side, looking at the heavens above. "I've been lonely too. Sarabi's been spending too much time with your brother." Her disapproval was evident, but it was in jest. In all truth, she was ecstatic for her friend--she would be Queen, undoubtedly. 

Taka remained silent, his mind drifting off to visions of Muradi. She was his perfect match...but he could never explain to her how strongly he felt about her. Pain drifted through his heart and he attempted to turn his mind off, listening to Sarafina point out what constellations she could identify...and the sorrowful breeze that caused the grasses to dance. 


	5. Anger

CHAPTER FIVE: ANGER

The sun was high overhead as Mufasa and Taka strolled side-by-side at the edge of the Sononekaita gorge. Taka had managed to steal his brother away from Sarabi for a short amount of time and was now trying to make the best of it. Mufasa, on the other hand, felt bothered at his brother's need to exchange words; he missed Sarabi's gentle touch and intoxicating aroma. 

They travelled to the shade of an old, gnarled umbrella-thorn acacia and settled there. From here they could view the vastness of the gorge and observe the rolling clouds as they moved steadily across the azure sky. "What did you want to talk about, Taka?" Mufasa said, aggitated. He did not pick up on his younger brother's worry or sadness. 

"Sarafina--that's what. I'm sick of her barging in when I want to be alone," Taka explained, his voice rising as he spoke, "...or when I want to be alone with someone else." 

Mufasa's ears pitched forward. This was certainly new to him; he, like Muradi, had been under the impression that the two were practically meant for one another. "..Oh?" He furrowed his brows, eyes partially hidden by his growing mane. "I assumed you enjoyed her company." 

Taka shifted his weight and turned his eyes out and upward. Lapet-faced vultures had been gathering about a mile east, circling menacingly over the carcass of some unfortunate animal. The young lion breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. "She's bothersome at times. She and I are on completely different levels; she is playful and I am thoughtful. I refuse to lead her on, but I can't find the words." 

Sarabi was sprawled across one of the many smooth-surfaced boulders that sat sturdily on the sloping exterior of Pride Rock. The umbrella-thorn acacia provided adequate shade; her eyes were closed but her ears were on full alert. Her thoughts turned to Mufasa and she smiled to herself--what a beautiful lion she had secured. He was filling out nicely and was proving to be quite the young heir. Her thoughts were disrupted when Sarafina's voice reached her ears. 

"Sarabi, I--oh.. my apologies, I didn't mean to disturb you." Sarafina offered, standing a few feet from the lounging lioness. Her face looked troubled and her actions were fidgety. Something was definitely up. 

"Hmm, good afternoon, 'Fina." Sarabi asked, her eyes lidded to mere, bright slits. Her tail-tuft twitched, touching against the trunk of the ropy tree. 

"Do you know where Taka is? I'd like to talk to him." 

Sarabi smiled and dipped her head. "He and Mufasa wandered down to the Sononekaita. They need to spend more time together--I'm beginning to feel that Taka despises me." 

Sarafina smiled widely and thanked her friend, picking her way carefully to the rolling savannah below. 

"Taka, how can you not like Sarafina?" Mufasa questioned, head tilted slightly to the side. Sarafina and Sarabi were the best lionesses he knew--loving, tender, full of laughter and life. Who could replace Sarafina? 

Taka shot his brother a pointed glance and opened his mouth to reply. "I--I've just found someone who interests me, someone who is better suited to my tastes. Sarafina is a good friend, but she can be overwhelming to me at times. I loved her... once." 

The grasses behind the pair of adolescent lions shifted slightly, but both failed to notice. They were too engrossed to hear Sarafina's approaching paw-steps; too engaged in their conversation to detect her scent. She crept along quietly, not wanting to disrupt the two in the middle of their conversation. She would simply stay near and wait for an appropriate break. 

She realized, with a pang of guilt, that she was merely eavesdropping. She pushed the guilt away and stayed concealed. 

"...and who is this lioness you've fallen so deeply in love with then?" She could hear Mufasa's question, her heart racing. Surely it would be her! Taka was about to confess his undying devotion! 

"Well... will you promise not to tell Sarabi?" Taka asked. Sarafina crept a bit closer, trying her best to keep the goofy smile from spreading across her maw. 

"Yes, yes. You know our talks are confidential. I would never give you a reason to distrust me." Mufasa said. 

"Fine, fine. It's..." 

Sarafina could barely contain herself. 

"...Muradi." 

At that very moment, Sarafina could feel her heart shatter. One million dreams erased; there would be no marriage, no children, no happy ending. Her burning love for that ruddy-furred lion ended in sheer misery. The pain she felt killed her heart. She could not contain the loud sob that escaped her. 

Mufasa and Taka did notice that choking sound; they turned in unison to meet Sarafina's horrified face. The lioness stood at the brink of the grasses, her ears turned back sharply and her eyes wide with surprise and hurt. The sunlight glinted off the large, shiny tears in her eyes. 

She turned and fled, crying loudly and without inhibition, crashing through the grasses blindly. 

Taka growled and swat angrily at the earth, kicking up blades of young grass and pebble-filled soil. "Damn it!" He yelled, body tensing and meager mane puffing out. "She heard, Mufasa, she heard!" 


	6. Unrequited

CHAPTER SIX: UNREQUITED

Taka found himself greatly distracted during the days following his admission to Mufasa--and, unwillingly, Sarafina. He spent less time near Pride Rock, causing great worry to his parents. He would travel the Ghamu bluffs aimlessly, attempting to find a solution to his painful problem. The lioness he loved spared him only a few minutes of her time per day, spending the rest with her mother, aunts and sisters--she was constantly training on the plains, securing a powerful position in the hunting party. Mufasa and Sarabi were nearly inseperable, often wandering through the jasmine patches. 

Sarafina had also begun to spend more and more time alone. Her mother, Mojamala, was understandably worried--her daughter would not divulge the reason of her sadness and gossip had started amidst the lionesses. Taka had been the focus of the subject more than once and the young lion's heart ached with guilt. 

Once upon a time, he had loved her. He returned her childish affection without a hitch and often sought her out to play once his lessons had ended for the day. He would romp with her through the grasses surrounding Pride Rock and steal off in the evening to watch the stars. 

He was sure about things then. He knew that he would be a lesser male in the pride and his mating rights would extend to Sarafina only; he knew that they would populate the pride with beautiful, intelligent children. He assumed that she had been his match...but that was then. 

He was four months old when Muradi appeared, dirty and disheveled, at the base of Pride Rock. Her mother, Muruwa, had stood near her and spoke in quiet tones to Uru and Ahadi. The ruddy-furred girl's father, Kiume, appeared later in the evening and requested a private conference with Ahadi. That was the night that Sarafina became less of a shining star to him... and he wished only for Muradi's heart. 

Dear, sweet Sarafina. The young lion sighed and paused, his paws shifting against the still-warm earth as the moon began to rise above the bluffs. The jungle lie just north of here, a dark and foreboding fringe against the navy sky. In the distance, the haunting roars of a leopard could be heard as it stalked the grasses alone. 

Taka reclined himself along the edge of the bluff, his forepaws hanging lifelessly over the brink. Below ran the Uvuli River, silent and progressive, a silky black ribbon cutting through the fertile earth. He shut his eyes and attempted to regain his troubled thoughts.

* * *

Sarafina wandered through the grasses, her thoughts racing through her mind. She couldn't stop thinking about what Taka had said and how she had overheard; her brow furrowed and she growled lightly, chiding herself. She had not simply overheard--she had been eavesdropping. She had broken the seal of confidentiality and had destroyed a moment of brotherly bonding. If her mother had found out, she would be facing a punishment much worse than cuffing--she would be considered unreliable and her position in the hunting party would drop severely to guard. 

Her hard work was nothing compared to the ache she felt in her chest. She had tried so hard to win Taka's affection and was left in shambles. As a child, she adored the attention he would shower upon her, running through the soft grasses near their home and whispering quietly about the stars aloft. There were times when she knew he was upset about his brother's inheritance. Her thoughts, however, consoled her: she would be there for him, his rock, and provide him with all the happiness in the world. He did not need to rule a Kingdom if he had her love. 

This changed, she had noticed, when a certain scruffy lioness cub showed up one evening. Mojamala had kept the cubs in the communal cavern while Uru and Ahadi spoke with two stranger lions; they appeared much different and smelled of a foreign place. When it was deemed safe, they were allowed to question the 'new girl' and discovered that her name was Muradi and that she and her parents had fled their home. A sickness of some sort had raged through the savannah and had killed off many of their pride-mates. Here they were offered solace and acceptance. 

This was when Sarafina knew. She noticed the longing in Taka's eyes when Muradi was near; she could detect how he was slowly pushing her away in favor of another girl. Her heart was losing its strength but she put on a hard face and continued to live as though nothing had changed. 

When Sarafina glanced around, she found she was near the edge of the Mauko wastelands. If she were to continue through the darkened, desolate lands she would surely perish. She sighed and sat, eyes gazing into the deadly night. 


	7. Life In The Pride

CHAPTER SEVEN: LIFE IN THE PRIDE

Uru rested in the communal cavern as dusk quickly settled over the Pride Lands. Her husband and sons were walking the borders for the final time of the day, spending it chatting and catching up with one another. The lioness often grew lonely during her mate's outings and had taken up the company of several of the pride's youth. Three cubs rested near her on the smooth granite surface of the cave, their eyes sparkling with limitless possibilities and dreams. The Queen smiled down at them and stretched, grunting. "Who's ready to learn the ways of the pride?"

The little girl, a spunky cub named Mjuvi, piped up. "I do!"

Her brothers, Kota and Pa'Heko, nodded in unison, their sharp teeth glinting in wide grins.

Uru chuckled and nodded in response. "Very well."

Her voice carried easily through the cavern so she spoke softly and slowly, giving the children time to understand her words. "You are born into this world with nothing--no knowledge, no senses, no understanding. You come to learn things, to identify the smell of a wildebeest or a zebra, and the kindness and compassion that lions should be known for."

"You three have gained much of that already in your young lives. You are now beginning to play fiercely with one another--nipping at tails and ears, pouncing and wrestling, stalking and hiding. Soon you will see that your play is shaping you! You are learning how to control the strength of your jaws, understanding the weakest points on a creature and allowing your weight to trap them. You are learning how to creep through the grasses undetected and how to stay safe from the other great predators in the savannah."

The cubs shifted their weight slightly, leaning against Uru's side comfortably. They were very well behaved for they knew that Queen Uru's stories came only to children who deserved them. They did not wish to waste this precious time with their aunt.

"When you grow to be the age of my sons, you will look at the world in a completely different light. Mjuvi, you will stay within the pride and hunt with the best of them. You will protect your sisters and children at all costs. You will be the reason the pride is so strong and formidable."

The lioness turned her eyes to the two brothers and smiled tenderly. "Kota, Pa'Heko, you will leave the pride once you've received your mantlements. You will wander through the grasses together in search of a pride to take over. Perhaps you will build your own pride without battle--only Aiheu knows. But your training is especially important now as you will be without the protection of your mother and sister in later years."

Kota and Pa'Heko nodded, though Uru could see that they were a bit nervous. She comforted them.

"Ah, do not worry little warriors. If you pay attention, you will be given every tool you'd need to survive without us. You will know how to hunt, how to fight, when to stand your ground and when to flee. You will not be alone; you will have each other. Power in numbers, you see."

Mjuvi cocked her head and wrinkled her nose. "What does that mean?"

The older lioness chuckled and turned her eyes to the cavern opening, at the quickly-fading light in the sky. "Power in numbers... you know where your mother goes every few nights, do you not?"

The lioness cub nodded, ears pitched forward to catch Uru's explanation.

"She and the rest of the able-bodied lionesses travel through the grasses in search of food. We catch the scent of a wildebeest...or zebra...or gazelle...and move toward it carefully. First, we spread out and make sure that the wind will not give our own scents away to the herd. Our hunting tactic is one you will be learning soon and it takes great concentration. Power in numbers, you see, is the ability to use the strength and knowledge of many instead of one alone. Your mama would not be able to catch food for you as well if it were her alone. We pull our resources together and successfully complete the job."

Mjuvi nodded and yawned, shifting to grow more comfortable against the lioness's stomach.

Uru smiled and did her own shifting. "You three had better run along to your mother. I believe it is time for good little children to go to sleep."

The three cubs stood sleepily and wandered out of the communal cavern in search of Urembo.

* * *

It wasn't long before Ahadi returned, exhausted as usual, but in good spirits. Uru smiled and met him at the mouth of the cavern, guiding him to their favorite resting place. It was not late enough for the lionesses to file back into the cavern to sleep, allowing the royal couple a few pleasant moments to themselves. 

Ahadi could sense that Uru was troubled by something, touching his chin against her shoulder kindly. "What ails you, my dear?" He wasted no time asking, and she wasted no time responding. The two had long-sinced discovered the power of forward truth and used it as often as possible. Games were for their children.

"It's Taka--he's been so withdrawn lately. He hasn't been home much recently and I don't want to disturb his travels. Did he mention anything to you this evening on your patrol?"

"...Ah, no. But I did notice that he was lagging behind, failed to ask his usual questions and seemed to be a bit under the weather. Mufasa was very sympathetic to him during our rounds. Whatever it could be that bothers him, he's lucky he has a brother who cares." Ahadi responded, lowering himself to his haunches with a loud, satisfactory grunt.

Uru simply nodded, taking a seat next to her mate. "It is probably best that we do not interfere. Taka has never been shy about asking for our help. We'll be here when he needs us."


	8. Tension

CHAPTER EIGHT: TENSION

The sun was high in the azure sky; a healthy breeze swept through the grasses at serene intervals, offering the countless creatures of the Pride Lands a sweet break from the near merciless heat of the day. Muradi carefully picked her way down the outcroppings of Pride Rock, meandering casually toward the well-trodden path that lead to the watering hole. Her training was not scheduled to begin until dusk; she had plenty of time to make herself more familiar with the lay of the land. 

On her way, the ruddy-furred lioness would stop and smell the fragrant African blossoms or observe butterflies flit playfully through the air. When she began down the path, she wondered just how many others had travelled it before her. It was hard-packed and wove through the grasses at an even width, following the ups and downs of the territory progressively. Hundreds of others must have walked it as she did today--she could almost feel the power of their foot-falls in her own paws. 

Presently she reached the edge of the path and approached the edge of the watering hole. The rains of the past month had caused the water levels to rise and it was swelling with great life--a herd of elephants stood at the opposite end of the water, the calves romping through the shallows happily. They trumpetted and blew water on the backs of their neighbors, stomping in the mud to cool their wrinkled skin. 

As Muradi crouched down to drink from the refreshing waters, she failed to notice the approach of another lioness; her tongue touched against the surface and created a cascade of ripples that died down in the greater depths of the watering hole. She stood, her thirst quenched, and offered a startled noise to the other female: Sarafina. 

"Ah, Sarafina-penda--when did you arrive?" Muradi asked, regaining her usual cool demeanor. Water dripped from the fur on her chin, falling to the earth soundlessly. She noticed that the other did not seem to be pleased with the day. Muradi tilted her head a bit, questioningly. 

Sarafina offered Muradi a smile, though it was not one of friendship or happiness--it was dark, turned down at the corners. Her brows were furrowed slightly and her body was tense. Though the two were required to work together in the hunting team, Sarafina had never warmed up to her peer. She ran her tongue lightly across her maw and responded, "Oh, I've been nearby." 

Muradi only nodded in response to the strange behavior of her pride sister, taking a few steps away from Sarafina instinctively. There was something wrong, but the girl couldn't place it. "Are you ready for this...evening..?" 

Sarafina erased the distance between herself and the other slowly, ears turning back. "I'm ready now. How fast are you, anyhow?" The question was sinister, the lioness's eyeteeth gleaming in the light. Her muscles were taut and rippled beneath her well-groomed pelt. "How fast can you run, Muradi?" 

The dark-furred girl blinked, continuing her backward retreat. "Sarafina--is there something wrong?" 

Sarafina growled, stopping dead in her tracks. What was she thinking? Was she really going to attack Muradi here, out in the open? Was she really... going to hurt the other lioness? She offered Muradi only a wide-eyed stare and turned, rushing back into the grasses. After a moment, the sounds of her fleet escape was gone. 

Muradi frowned and sat down hard against the bald earth, staring in the direction of Sarafina's departure. She was simply befuddled; what was that all about? She heaved a mighty sigh and climbed to her paws, heading back down the ancient path toward Pride Rock.

* * *

When the sun began to settle beyond the eastern hills, the lionesses gathered at the base of Pride Rock. They were allowed a few moments to chat so that they could focus on the hunt ahead. Muradi stood near her mother nervously, her eyes searching the many able-bodied lionesses for one in particular. Sarabi and her mother, Otesha, were near Mojamala--but Sarafina was in sight. 

Muradi politely excused herself to Muruwa and began to weave her way in-and-out of the lionesses toward Mojamala. She offered the elder lioness a kind smile and dipped her head in greeting, one ear tipping back cautiously. "Pardon me, but is Sarafina present?" 

Mojamala warmly greeted Muradi with her sweeping tongue, flattening the fur on the younger female's head. "I'm afraid she hasn't been feeling well. She is going to stay here tonight; hopefully she will cheer up soon enough." 

Muradi simply nodded and returned to her mother's side. Her heart was racing; she was nervous and dreaded the hunt tonight. Her mind had been elsewhere for the remainder of the afternoon, pondering her sister's actions. Did Sarafina mean to hurt her? She was certainly a formidable foe... The girl sighed and nestled against Muruwa's side, feeling the great vibration of her mother's comforting purrs.

* * *

The older lionesses fanned out silently, surrounding a smell herd of impala. When the signal was given, Muradi and Sarabi pushed forward toward the impala, driving them right into the trap. Muruwa and Mojamala singled out a doe who appeared to be injured; the doe weaved back and forth through the grasses, favoring a hind-leg severely. There was absolutely no content--the doe was theirs. 

As the impala herd retreated into deeper grasses, Muradi and Sarabi walked breathlessly toward the rest of the group. Along the way, however, Muradi spoke in hushed tones to her companion. "Sarabi-penda, has Sarafina seemed... different lately?" 

Sarabi smiled and pushed herself into Muradi lovingly, dipping her head. "She has been down--though I cannot tell you why. I've not seen her often enough to pry the information out of her. Did something happen?" It was almost as if Mufasa's intended knew what took place earlier that day. 

Muradi gritted her teeth and said hushedly, "I...I'm not quite sure. She was very harsh to me at the watering hole. I've thought long and hard, but I cannot see where I may have slighted her or upset her in any way." 

The two greeted the rest of the lionesses with smiles, the conversation all but ended. Because they were quite a distance from Pride Rock, Muruwa grabbed the impala by the neck and began to drag her. The others filed around the female and their prize protectively. The cries of hungry jackals were rising in the distance rapidly.

* * *

Sarafina did not appear when the others gathered to eat. Muradi felt slightly unsettled by her disappearance and had begun quite jittery. She could barely enjoy the taste of the plump doe--she excused herself from the feeding frenzy and settled not too far from the others in the cover of the grasses. What could possibly be going on? 


	9. Confrontation

CHAPTER NINE: CONFRONTATION

The northerly winds were picking up, sweeping through the grasses wildly. Clouds had begun to form on the horizon, threatening rain and cooler temperatures. Muradi has spent the past few days avoiding Sarafina carefully; there had been no more challenges or threats, but the girl couldn't help but feel the icy-cold stares issued from the other. She was now settled on a sheltered cliff on the back-side of Pride Rock, observing the thunderheads in the distance. 

Taka moved carefully and skillfully along the path to the cliff, unaware of Muradi's presence--the winds were blowing her sweet aroma away from his nostrils. When he laid eyes upon her graceful figure resting on the granite surface, he gasped quietly. He could turn and find another suitable location to watch the approaching storms...but it was too late. Her beautiful eyes turned to him and she offered him a smile in greeting. 

He trudged on, standing near her resting form. "Hello, Muradi." 

"Good afternoon, Taka-habu. How have you been?" Her words were compassionate, but she seemed distant. 

Taka sighed and turned away from the lioness. "I believe today is the day that I offer you a truthful answer to that question. Muradi..." 

The lioness looked to Taka curiously, one ear tipped back. She gave him her full attention, listening to the thunder in the far hills. 

"...Muradi, you've been a great friend to me. You came to our home in search of sanctuary--you, as sad and as alone as you were--sought me out and forged a relationship with me. I cannot thank you enough for your words of support over the moons. I don't think I've been a good friend." 

Muradi furrowed her brows and climbed to her paws, touching his side lightly with her chin. "Please do not speak nonsense, Taka-habu...! You have been a very caring and tender friend to me. Admittedly, you have been quite distant lately..." 

Taka shuddered at her gentle touch, turning his burning eyes away from her. "Muradi, I've loved you from the moment you spoke to me. I've been distracted by your beauty from the first time I saw you." 

The sudden out-pour of emotion caught Muradi off guard. She pulled away from Taka slightly, searching his sorrowful expression for any trace of a prank. When she found none, and realized how serious he was, she shook her head. "...Taka, I thought you and Sara--" she stopped herself, suddenly putting two-and-two together. The reason Sarafina had been so agitated... why she had lashed out at the watering hole... her absence, her glares, her angry demeanor. It all made sense. 

"Muradi," Taka began but stopped short when he witnessed the unsettled expression on the lioness's face. It shot pain through his heart and he could feel tears threatening to spill over his lids. He frowned and turned, running carelessly down the path of Pride Rock. He had to get away from her expression. 

Muradi watched Taka leave in what appeared to be slow-motion; she screamed after him, moving quickly to go after him. He was gone before she could catch up to him.

* * *

As Taka ran, his thoughts and feelings boiled with embarassment; he had spoken aloud the words that should have stayed within him for the rest of his life. He should have humbly accepted Sarafina's love and given her everything she wished for. He should have never upset the delicate balance of friendship and trust within the pride. What a cursed fool he had been! Deep within him, he knew that Muradi could never care for him the way he cared for her. 

He was amidst the wind-blown grasses when thunder clapped directly above him--the stormclouds had moved in and rain began to pelt him mercilessly, cold and unforgiving against his hot skin. The downpour wet his fur, concealing the tears he shed; the rumbling of thunder filled his ears, masking Muradi's cry of his name. 

She met him, her ruddy fur soaked, her paws muddy and eyes sorrowful. She touched his side with her paw once again, questing, raising her voice to be heard over the beautiful display of nature. "Taka, I love you too!" 

The lion and lioness stood in the middle of the pouring rain, crying together, pushing their bodies together to stay warm in the sudden cool of the afternoon. They wept, but for a deeper reason than uprooted feelings--they were trying their hardest to hold on to life as they knew it within the pride. The normalcy of each waking day, their still-low adolescent rankings, their comfort. 

All of this was now different and each tried so very hard to grasp what was left of their previous lives. 


	10. The Wastelands

**Author's Note**: I apologize greatly for the absence I have taken; it was unwanted and unintentional. I've moved quite a ways from my stomping grounds and in the process lost a few completed and unposted chapters. The last update took place over a year ago and you must forgive me, for it may take me a few chapters before I fall back into the rhythm of things. Thank you!

CHAPTER TEN: THE WASTELANDS

The Mauko wastelands had become a magnet to the heartbroken Sarafina; they stretched on endlessly, filled with nothing but only the hardiest of scrubs and the often incomplete skeletons of luckless creatures. Here, where the wind screamed amidst desolation, the lioness felt most at home.

Her frequent absences from the hunt had secured her only a guard's position and she laid this blame squarely across the shoulders of Muradi. Had it not been for the other lioness's arrival to the pride, she would be living the life she had always dreamt of: next to Taka, loving and nurturing him until the end of her days.

Instead, she stood at the very edge of the vast Mauko wastelands, her eyes half-lidded and unfocused. She was much too deep in thought to observe the slight movement from the depths of the darknened lands; she was too lost in her daydreams to notice that she was being watched.

Presently, the lioness heaved a great sigh and folded her haunches beneath her. What had become of her life since Muradi? She had been pushed out of many games, left to bond only with Sarabi. She had worked very hard for her position in the hunting party and had strived to win the affections of Taka -- only to be bested by the outsider lioness.

She was changing -- and everyone in the pride took notice; her often happy demeanor had become one of bitterness and regret. She spent less time with Makini's cubs, the troublesome trio -- Mjuvi, Kota and Pa'Heko -- and more time skirting the strange and somehow powerful Mauko border. She prefered to hunt alone, taking as much of her kill as should could before the scavengers ran her off. She felt more akin to a leopard, a creature of solitary lifestyle, than a lioness. Oh, how it burned her! That Muradi, that _scamp_, had taken away her identity!

This sudden bout of anger found Sarafina rising and running into the night, disappearing into the gradually thickening grasses. Her observer, however, never left its spot in the great wasteland.


	11. Why The Stars Shine

CHAPTER ELEVEN: WHY THE STARS SHINE

The great bond between a father and his children cannot be measured. Ahadi valued this bond more than he valued his life -- without his cubs, he would be a mere lion, a silhouette against the sky. For years, he observed the styles of many fathers; the zebra, who cared more for his harem than his own sons, casting them out into the dangers of the serengeti. The leopard, who cared more for his territory than his own sons, running them out as soon as they posed a threat to him.

As a lion, he knew it was his duty to send his sons out with many a lesson in their minds. Though his chosen cubs, Mufasa and Taka, would remain within the safety of the pride and gain what he had worked so hard for, there were others whose futures did not sit as comfortably.  
Makini's sons, Pa'Heko and Kota, were two of many; others included Chumu, who was born to Uenyemali and Kudura, the son of Imara. Pa'Heko and Kota were growing closer to the time of their mantlement while Kudura and Chumu still had a healthy length of time within the sanctity of the pride.

Ahadi, who had found himself standing on an old and quiet bluff overlooking one of the many rivulets that seeped through his lands, withdrew his powerful stance and sat, tail calmly tapping the tops of his forepaws. The evening was stretching out in long bands of color and only the faintest of twinkles could be detected on the horizon.

This was what he liked to think of as his Pondering Spot, a place he sought out many times as a child and adolescent. He came here even still, often times alone, occasionally with his wife Uru. He was aware that this was not his spot alone -- the scents that covered this bluff ranged from leopard to jackal. Only now was he alone with his thoughts.

Taka and Mufasa had not been his first sons -- only the first litter with Uru. Because of their titles, King and Queen, did Taka and Mufasa inherit all that was before him. His first son had been a spunky and rather hardheaded boy called Ni. His mother, a beautiful lioness by the name of Fikara, had raised him well and had sent him off upon his mantlement. Ahadi often longed to see him again, cherishing the moments he had spent with his first son.

The day that he left, Ni had been very frightened. After the impressively-sized crowd had dispersed, Ni had cried and refused to leave Fikara's side. Though he was grown and had been given the proper knowledge and tools for survival outside of the pride, he was still not ready. Ni's departure had been one of force and it had placed a thorn in Ahadi's heart.

Ni had been very close to Ahadi and shared many of Ahadi's fears and dreams -- the fear of being alone and unwanted and the dream of making his loved ones proud. Ahadi had argued painfully with himself, wondering whether or not it would curse the pride to raise Ni as his heir. Fikara's bloodline rivaled Uru's in quality and royal past -- it was much too painful. Uru had not yet conceived Mufasa and Taka -- there was no guarantee that he would have more sons.

Uru and Fikara were the closest of pride-sisters, promising one another their lives should any situation come to it. Uru had come to Ahadi, trying to offer him some solace during his time of crisis. She said to him, "Dear, if we cannot produce sons, I would gladly and lovingly accept Ni as your heir."

Her words rang in Ahadi's mind, even now as the sun settled slowly behind the western hills. How he had loved her, and loved her the most that very day, when she had offered such a heart-warming solution and sacrifice.

The moment of Mufasa and Taka's birth had been bittersweet; there was not only one son, but two, pushing Ni out of the pride. It had been such a hard decision for Ahadi to make -- not as a King, but as a father. He knew that if he allowed Ni to follow in his footsteps and to crown him as heir, he may as well be sending his lionesses out to the hyenas. Fate and Aiheu both simply did not see it fit for Ni to rule.

The wind began to pick up around the lion, casting his mane in many directions. It was going to be a chilly night, even for the hot African serengeti, and he had just completed his rounds. The lion smiled lightly, eyes following the sun as more and more stars began to come out of hiding.

Where was his child today? Was Ni even alive? It hurt Ahadi to think of this -- that was his first child, his first son, half of him cast out into the wild. Mufasa and Taka had absolutely no idea of Ni's existence and they would never learn of him from Fikara. She had two daughters to raise and, understandably, it hurt her just as much as Ahadi to think of her son.

The lion sighed and pondered how many losses he had to bare throughout his life in the pride. Many of his childhood playmates were cast off and others had been taken by hunting accidents, disease, birthing their cubs, wanderlust. Uru had always been there for him, and so had Fikara. Others were not as aware of Ahadi's ups and downs -- Mojamala and Otesha, for example, the mothers of Sarabi and Sarafina. They had arrived together, refugees from a distant pride with a brutal ruler. Both sought shelter and eventually became part of the pride, giving birth to their daughters here and raising them with the pride's own rituals and beliefs.

He knew that he would have to send Kota, Pa'Heko, Kudura and Chumu out with the same pain in his heart that he had experienced with Ni. The only faith he had managed to find lay within the twinkling bodies of the stars.

He knew why the stars shone brightly in the night sky: to guide his sons on their way through life.


	12. Ghost In The Darkness

**Author's Note**: Once again, I am terribly sorry for the length of time between chapters; I've been moving hither-and-thither and haven't always had access to a reliable internet source. Also, I would like to apologize for the curt style of chapter ten ("The Wastelands") and I hereby announce that all future chapters will be nice and long! Thank you!

CHAPTER TWELVE: GHOST IN THE DARKNESS

Twilight fell over the rolling topography of the Pride Lands, casting everything in a misty, almost ghostlike silver glow. Ahadi had completed his rounds, walking many miles as the sun began its slow journey over the western hills, and he had retired to one of the bluffs extending off of the peak's sloping path. He sat quietly, his mane settled neatly on his shoulders and framing his wise face, which wore an expression of deep thought and worry. Though his sons had been quite diligent about joining him on his morning and evening patrols, he had noticed an almost unnatural change in them both; Taka seemed to be lagging behind, uninterested in the conversation and occasional issues which arose, while Mufasa was alert and ready for any situation. Ahadi pondered this, his brows furrowing lightly, his ears pressed back into neat folds.

"What troubles you, my darling?" The soft, lilting voice of Uru reached Ahadi and he turned, a pained smile painted on his maw. His queen approached him leisurely, her weight shifting gracefully from side-to-side with each well-placed step. Their friendship and partnership alike was such a strong bond it seemed as though she could feel his frustrations without the slightest of clues.  
Ahadi rumbled a deep purr of appreciation and adoration as his lioness swept her dark-furred body against his golden one, leaning into each other comfortably on the twilit shelf. "Our sons seemed to have switched additudes, I suppose--it is Mufasa who lingers on every word I say while Taka sulks behind, lost in his own thoughts. When they were cubs, Mufasa would find every excuse to ignore my lessons. Taka drank them like water after a long drought... I hardly understand what could have happened to them, dearest."

Uru dipped her head lightly, one ear flicking back. "I see. I suppose Mufasa has suddenly gained a sense of pride with his future title as King, but as for Taka... it may be a matter of the heart. The hunting circle has lost its charm for Sarafina lately; she's been absent on more than one occasion without any explanation and seems to be pulling herself away from the pride little by little. I shall speak with Mojamala and try my hardest to draw any information out of her. Perhaps they had a fight."

The regal lion considered his wife's words carefully before issuing a quiet 'hmm'. He turned to nuzzle his nose against Uru's cheek, murmuring to her in a subdued tone, "I would appreciate that deeply. You have such a way with words, I'm sure Mojamala will yield Sarafina's troubles to you without any hesitation."

Though the two were highly sensitive to their children's hopes, dreams and desires, both had almost casually overlooked something that Taka had said to them before, on a night not too different from one like this: 'I do not pine for her. She is very beautiful... but she is not the lioness who has stolen my heart.'.

The royal pair sat quietly on the bluff and a slight breeze began to pick up, bringing to them particles of milkweed and the sweet scent of jasmine from afar. The stars, like cosmic diamonds, sparkled overhead coldly in the night.

* * *

Taka was a vast mixture of emotions--he was anxious, terribly in love, quivering at the thought of spending the rest of his life with Muradi and, simultaneously, feeling as though he should spend the rest of his life making up his inabilities to Sarafina. He truely loved them both, though in painfully different ways; Muradi seemed to be the sun to him, drawing him to her with magic, enticing him, causing his heart to dance in his chest to a frantic beat. Sarafina reminded him of childhood warmth, sharing milk from either Uru or Mojamala, comforting stories before falling asleep, finding the shape of rabbits in the unending stretch of night sky. There was a burning passion for Muradi and a simple friendship for Sarafina. He was deeply troubled by his inadequancies, finding himself unable to explain the situation he was in. 

The only one who had any real, firm grasp on his feelings was Mufasa--his loyal and trustworthy brother. Oh, he would give his life for Mufasa! Their bond was like no other, strong and proud, a true brothership. Once the 'Sarafina-Muradi' fiasco began, Mufasa had remained true to him, never revealing Taka's feelings to the intensely curious Sarabi or, for that matter, his prying parents. Though he had been able to go to Ahadi and Uru with any of his problems before, this seemed like an unending labyrinth he could never crawl his way out of. This problem hung around him like a miasma, casting him into bouts of depression he had never experienced before.

Throughout all of this, he had not once spoken to Sarafina or even attempted to his explain his true feelings for her. It was a constant thorn in his side, poking and prodding, causing his heart to bleed. His love for Muradi had indeed been returned, something that he had never expected...which could also be said for his upcoming position as King of the Pride Lands. It seemed as though the universe had been tossing good luck in his direction since the day of his mantlement and, like a true pessimist, he wondered when it would all come crashing down on top of him.

* * *

Muradi could not erase the smile from her maw; she rested silently next to a small pond in one of the pocket-valleys located only a mile from the eastern face of Pride Rock. She was surrounded by tall, thick reeds and the romantic though somewhat crude croaking of bullfrogs acted as an interlude in the song of the crickets. Lilypads, their flowers in full bloom, floated lazily on the near-still surface of the pond. She was recollecting her life in the Pride Lands fondly, purposefully removing any negative and nasty episodes with Sarafina--she focused mainly on Taka and his sweet bashful additude.

She had been very frightened to travel with her mother and father to a distant, unfamiliar land--but she knew the price she would pay if she stayed in her own home. Her family was dying quickly and she and her parents had been, for whatever reason, untouched by the deadly illness. They struck off into the night like gypsies, silent and quick, pausing only to rest for short bouts of time. It had been raining when they approached the Pride Lands' border and her father, Kiume, had detected Ahadi's reigning scent.

He sent his mate, Muruwa, and their daughter into the lands to speak with the King and Queen. He knew that this was a huge risk to take, especially with their child, but it was a much better option than going in himself. The heartstrings of a pride are much easier tugged when there is a child involved instead of a dirty, hungry rogue male. Luck was in their court, as it were, and they were all accepted into the pride with open arms.

Muradi was terrified when the pride's cubs approached her to ask all types of questions--things she didn't expect. What they were most curious about were how her deceased relatives had looked and acted right before death. "Did they get all bug-eyed like a zebra does?" Sarabi had asked nonchalantly, completely lacking any timidity. To this Muradi had answered defiantly.

"They looked like hyenas when you run them off from a kill, bloody and dirty. They acted like jackals, coughing and wheezing."

Her candid honesty to this question immediately made her a great buddy of Sarabi, who was more of a tomboy than a lady at that young age. Sarafina wanted to know why she came to Pride Rock specifically and Muradi could only shrug her thin shoulders; the decision was out of her paws. The only one who showed any direct interest in her was Taka. Initially, he asked her many questions, all thought-out carefully, and then he began to shy away from her. He skirted around her for many weeks, stealing glances of her out of the corner of his eye, stuttering wildly if she approached him for any reason.

Muradi had always assumed that he was a loner, one more akin to a leopard than of a lion, but she noticed that he spoke fluently and unabashedly to anyone and everyone but her. Communication and rough-housing never seemed to be an issue until it came down to her. He would avoid her at all costs, but kept up appearances if he were stuck with her in a social situation. Though she did notice his complete avoidance of her, she never once took it to heart and gathered and accepted his possible xenophobia.

Now, she mused, smiling down at the calm, glassy surface of the pond, she knew his real reasoning behind the stutters and nervous, side-long glances. He had been in love with her since the day she arrived...and she had harbored some fairly intense feelings herself. Though it was out of her nature to implore, she wanted to know more of Taka than he would give her. She wanted to pick his brain, spend time with him, share information, question him. There was something else burning deep inside of her as well, something that she refused to acknowledge; she was as madly in love with him as he was her. She kept this feeling cooled and unseen because she felt like a fool, falling head-over-heels for someone who completely ignored her.

"But he doesn't hate me, he loves me..." Her voice broke the silence and in reaction to its suddenness, a great bullfrog hopped from his lilypad and into the pond, causing the perfect reflection of stars above to ripple and waver beautifully

* * *

Somewhere in the vast fields of the Pride Lands, Sarafina stalked a lone hare who had, for reasons unknown, ventured from its warren alone. She darted in the grasses quickly, almost lightning-like, and pounced once the creature had showed signs of exhaustion. Standing proudly over her victory kill, the lioness huffed and puffed deep breaths of air, hitching them into the night. She reached down and scooped the hare up in her powerful jaw, securing it and transporting it to a better-suited location.

The Mauko wastelands, indeed the perfect setting for an ousted lioness to devour an unfortunate and decidedly stupid hare. She trotted quickly to the edge of the desertlike stretch of desolation, fancying herself to be the undisputed Queen of them and all of the skeletal remains within. Cold air blew past her, rippling her fur and cooling her hot skin, bringing with it a scent of heat, decay...and of something else, something unplaceable. Sarafina had detected it before and simply brushed it off as part of the internal aroma of the Mauko, never questioning who it belonged to, or why it lingered there--sometimes strongly, sometimes so faint she had to seek it out to detect it.

She lowered herself into a prone, resting position and began to gnaw nervously at the hare's hindleg, the muscles and blood still warm even in this soul-chilling environment. The metallic scent of the hare's blood was also terribly strong, coating her nose and rendering her olfactory abilities useless for the time being. She snuffled, trying her best to clear her nostrils--it would be quite a shame to be mauled by an undetected, wandering hyena over such a small prize. She spent several minutes rubbing her paw over her own nose, the other planted firmly over the hare's ribcage to secure it as hers. When the voice spoke from nowhere, she dug her claws into the dead creature, crushing some of its bones in her startled jolt.

"Good evening."

The young lioness lifted her eyes and found herself looking into the face of a slim, almost hollow-looking lion. His fur was the color of sand, sun-bleached and almost white, especially pallid beneath the bright moonlight. His mane clung to him desperately, thin and dirty, a poor representation of his species. He sat on his haunches neatly, his forepaws touching, his tail curled against his body. It was damaged, crooked at the end as if caught in the jaws of some menacing creature and broken; the tuft was almost non-existent, a few patches of poorly treated and never-groomed fur. It seemed like the only part of him that was truely alive were his eyes; they too were the color of the sand, pale and washed-out, ghostly...but they sparkled intensely.

Sarafina immediately abandoned the hare she had chased after mercilessly and rose to her paws, though it seemed as if she were so, so heavy... she could barely move fast enough. She backed up a few full steps before lowering her head submissively, ears curling back into neat shell-shapes. "Pardon my intrusion, please forgive me. I mean you no harm." Though she tried her best to remain calm, a heavy dash of fear was evident in her voice.

The ghostly lion only offered her a chuckle, never moving--he was in tatters, but the sound of his slight laughter was terribly familiar to the frightened lioness, an eerie resemblence to an unplaceable source. "I do appear as bones, dearest lioness, but I doubt you could do much in the way of harming me..." His voice was raspy and thin, though it carried a certain slow weight, like honey. "You have not crossed into my territory--it seems to me as though I've crossed into yours. I've watched you for a long time."

Sarafina remained submissively drawn down, compact, ready to spring at the slightest motion. His words brought chills to her spine, her fur quivering like a cascading ripple down her back. "...You have watched me?"

"Yes," said the unknown lion, his intense eyes never leaving Sarafina's own frightened ones. "I see you come here in the night, staring longingly into the depths of the Mauko. It's as if you're aching for something within it, something you've seen and tasted but can never attain again."

"I... I really don't know what to say." The lioness managed to stammer into the night air, muscles taut and tense.

"Forgive my rudeness. Would you care to know with whom you are speaking?"

Sarafina never took her foamy-green eyes away from the thin, sand-colored lion. She felt as if she were on the brink of completely losing control over herself completely--an alien sensation that she didn't care for. "I suppose that I should know, yes..."

"I am called Ni."


	13. StarCrossed

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: STAR-CROSSED

Sarafina slowly rose out of an uncomfortable, troubled sleep--in her dreams, she had been running endlessly from some unidentifiable creature. She felt like the hare she had caught last night, zigging and zagging her way through the endless savannah, trying desperately to get away. Her thoughts were muggy and coated with a thick layer of mental mud, obscuring any coherence and clouding her memory of the late night before. Only when she turned her mind to the hare she captured did she begin to remember exactly what had happened.

She had been confronted, for lack of a better word, by an odd and ghostly lion who called himself Ni. His voice was raspy and lilting, but the one minute laugh he issued forth into the night had been eeriely familiar...she couldn't place it. After she introduced herself, the lion simply bowed his head in mock respect (or so it seemed, to the frightened lioness) and he drifted back into the Mauko, blending in with the washed-out, lackluster stretch of desolation. His scent lingered for a quite a while, as did Sarafina.

She had finally made the trek home, securing herself in the safety of a small, low shelf on the southern face of Pride Rock, slightly away from the dangers of the ground. Here she awoke in a daze and marvelled over her encounter last night. Surely that lion wasn't planning on challenging King Ahadi--there would be absolutely no contest! The lion was so thin and haggard, though enchanting...and, even though she hated to admit it, very handsome and intriguing. There was something oddly romantic about him, and she found herself looking forward to the slow-coming night.

Carefully climbing down Pride Rock, her paws rested against the sun-warm earth and she took in a deep breath. There seemed to be a weight lifted from her shoulders this morning, a certain lightness that carried her here. Perhaps her anger was slowly beginning to fall away? This Ni had captured her, made her want to know more... and the mere thought of Taka no longer caused her heart to leap up into her throat, and for her stomach to sink. There were faint pangs somewhere inside of her, but she knew that she had found another. Despite her fear, she was also curious--a very strange mixture of sensations.

She began forward, heading toward the watering hole with a bemused half-smirk on her face.

* * *

Taka had been awake long before the sun rose in the east, casting its warm rays like ribbons out upon his future kingdom. He planned to take a leave of absence from his father's rounds, excusing himself quietly and politely. He had, throughout the night, finally worked up enough courage to speak to Sarafina about the unfortunate incident that now thrust them into a stage of discomfort; he was going to calmly explain to her that he did love her, but not as he would love a mate. His grand argument was that he did not want to hurt her, living a lie inside of that relationship, causing undue stress and...well, just how fair would that be to her, anyway? To be connected to a lion who simply didn't love her until she left this life?

He caught a faint whisp of her scent on the light morning breeze and struck out to follow it, delving through the deep grasses--he didn't want to give her a chance to run away before he could even begin to apologize. He knew that this was going to be painful, but for himself and for Sarafina.

* * *

Sarafina bent down at the edge of the water hole, lapping her share of the smooth and night-cooled water. Satisfied, she casually moved to an impressively sized outcropping, working her way up it with feline grace and spreading herself out on its weatherworn surface comfortably. She drank in her surroundings for a long moment before lidding them, wistful.

Here was a great depression in the ground, a natural catching pond for the rain that fell from the roving clouds above; it spread out far and wide, connecting with a small but powerful branch of the Uvuli River. This not only added to the overall size of the watering hole, but constantly filtered in new, fresh water. It circulated the large pond and departed through the Kianga Stream. Large fever trees grew on the opposite side of the bank, offering shade and a meal for the browsers that sought out solace amidst the chaos in the serengeti.

Sarafina was lost in thought, recounting the previous night, when Taka came upon her. She sensed the approach of some creature and simply couldn't be bothered to open her eyes long enough to register the presence of whomever stood before her; it was only when she heard Taka's familiar voice did she come out of her thoughts.

The ruddy-furred male was sitting sheepishly at the base of the outcropping, staring up at her with intense emerald eyes. His mane was filling in nicely, not as patchy and irratic as it was the day of his mantlement. He seemed to be adding a bit of muscle to his thin frame, but he remained slight and compact. He was never going to be a large lion, but his genes offered that potential to his offspring. His face was youthful and full of hope, but today it seemed to be overcast with a cloud of frustration, annoyance and what seemed to be guilt.

Sarafina swept her tongue casually across her maw and tipped her ears forward, eyes glinting in the increasing sunlight of the day. "Taka," she breathed, her tail dancing nervously at her hindpaws. She had become accustomed to his absence and she was not prepared for the reaction it would cause deep within her to see him standing before her like this. "What brings you here?"

The prince heaved a deep, burdenous sigh and hung his head shamefully. "I have come to apologize, Sarafina. This is a touchy subject," he lifted one paw and gestured with it, nervously. "...but I never meant to hurt you the way I have."

This stirred something in Sarafina's heart, but it was merely dormant anger and jealously. She responded heatedly, "Why won't you just leave me alone, Taka?" She rose to her paws and descended the outcropping, moving quickly away from the pained lion. "I had finally started to get over you and you just show up like this?"

Taka frowned deeply, standing quickly and loping after her foolishly. "Sarafina? I... I never meant to hurt you! Why won't you let me explain?"

The lioness turned sharply on her paws and she spat, "Just leave, Taka! I don't want to hear it. There is no excuse for the way you crushed my heart." Her expression was defiant and filled with ancient fire.

She struck off into the grasses, filled with rage and jealousy and embarassment. Presently, when she was sure she had outrun the lion and was again alone, she sat herself down hard on the earth. She was in a small pocket in the grasslands, a bare clearing that smelled strongly of elephants--she was in their stomping ground now. She uttered a defeated cry and dug her claws into the soil, working them in frustration. How silly was she to think that she had gotten over him! Her cubhood sweetheart, the boy she snuggled with on rainy nights, ...he simply was out to hurt her, wasn't he?

Sarafina was a beautiful lioness, but she had always been terribly insecure--especially when it came to others. Sarabi, Taka and Mufasa had been the exception, the only three she managed to let herself trust and into her heart. They had all been such wonderful and close friends as children, but she kept away from the other children in the pride. Muradi had been an outsider and Sarafina simply could not trust her. She put all of her faith in her sister, her intended and who she believed to be her own intended...but he had crushed her heart and she knew she could never trust him again. It took so much of her to put any faith in anyone else and now that Taka had spoiled that..? She was reduced to what she had become: fearful, spiteful, lashing out.

She cried quietly in the clearing, feeling more alone than she had since this entire situation came to light.

* * *

Fortunately for the ruddy-furred prince, Muradi had a meeting with the hunting party concerning tactics and positions--he would be free of her for hours, time enough to shake off the gloom that surrounded him. He did not try to follow Sarafina once she took off into the grasses, simply resigning himself to feeling guilty for the rest of his days. He would take Muradi as his Queen, produce children, love her endlessly...but all the while, a sheet of remorse would hang over him. He hoped that it was at least transparent to his love; he did not want her to see that he felt regret at what he had done. 

As he was approaching Pride Rock, Sarabi was making her way down to the earth from one of the many paths that curved their way over the lush rock. He was spotted and so he conjured up the best smile that he could, though it was still lacking considerably. Sarabi returned the smile, though it was apparent in her body movements that she knew something was wrong with her love's brother. Her amber eyes lidded slightly, brow furrowed, ears turned back--it made her appear regal and simply beautiful. He could see the resemblence between her and Sarafina, though they were half-sisters, sharing only their father's blood.

"Oh, Taka, what's the matter?" Sarabi asked as she drew nearer, concern lining her otherwise lovely face. "You look so thin!...and sad. What has happened?" She put a comforting paw on the lion's forearm, touching him lightly to assure him. Taka looked into her face and tried to smile once again, but it was a broken thing and it simply wasn't going to happen.

"I've hurt Sarafina! Oh, Sarabi, I've broken her heart and I never meant for it!" He pushed these words from his mouth quickly, trying to free himself of their poison. He began to weep lightly, overcome with anger for himself, guilt for his actions, and relief that somehow had finally come to him, someone who could possibly help him with this.

Sarabi nodded lightly, pushing one shoulder into Taka's gently. "I have noticed that 'Fina has been quite down lately. What happened, Taka?" She focused all of her attention on the lion, despite the fact that she was due at the same meeting as Muradi. There was still some time.

Taka sniffled and folded his ears back against his meager mane, eyes staring intently at his forepaws. "She heard me tell Mufasa that I loved Muradi while we were in the Sononekaita. Sarabi, I love Sarafina, but only as a friend! I feel so, so terrible..."

The honey-colored lioness offered Taka a small smile--despite the chaotic quality to the situation, she was truely happy that Taka had finally found someone that he loved. Though it appeared as if she would be sharing the title of Queen not with her sister, but with a good friend, she still found joy in this thought. "Taka, I will speak with 'Fina. She may be bullheaded about listening and understanding, but I will smack some sisterly love into that head of hers. Things will work out, you'll see!"

Taka stared at Sarabi's sweet, smiling face gratefully and managed--for the first time in what seemed like weeks--to offer her a genuine smile. "Thank you so much. I can see why Mufasa loves you so."


	14. Secret Twilight

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: SECRET TWILIGHT

Try as she might, Sarabi could not find Sarafina once the hunting party's meeting was over. She searched all throughout Pride Rock, checking in all the coves and hidden caverns, seeking her on the bluffs, the peak, the promontory--there was absolutely no trace of her sister. Sarafina's absence wasn't terribly peculiar, though the frequency had steadily climbed--it was as if her sister was no longer a welcome member of the pride.

Sarabi slowly descended the rocky slope to the still-warm African earth, beautiful in each step. Her coat, the color of raw honey, clunk against her nicely, accentuating her musculature and nature, feminine curves. Her eyes, a comforting and inviting shade of gold, sparkled with the intensity of life. She sat quietly at the base of Pride Rock, a jewel amidst the stones covered in ivy vines. She breathed deeply, eyes seeking any visual trace of Sarafina...and there was none.

She was ready to ascend the path again when the faintest of breezes stirred up her sister's scent; faded as it might be, it caused a slight alarm within Sarabi. Sarafina's aroma wafted in from the direction of the Mauko wasteland, a place forbidden and filled with nothing but death and desperation. 'Surely, no...' Sarabi thought, shaking her head slightly. Still, the presence was there, and Sarafina had been acting so much unlike herself lately...

Sarabi, the future Queen of the Pride Lands, struck off into the night, following the tattered traces of her sister's scent. It carried her through the grasses, weaving and wandering, down within the scrublands and finally, to the top of a great hillcrest. From her elevation, her view of the Mauko wasteland stretched on before her for miles, cloaked in darkness and mystery. The lioness sought out any hint of Sarafina's presence.

* * *

Sarafina had not returned to Pride Rock after her confrontation with Taka; she merely rested in the center of the clearing, crying until she could cry no more. Once her bitter tears had escaped her completely, she was left feeling hollow and forced to see the situation she was in. She loved Taka, though this she would no longer willingly admit to anyone--she believed she was getting over him finally when he had approached her and brought her crashing down. Taka did not love her as she loved him; he loved Muradi. She had spent so much time away from the pride, isolating herself from her duties as a lioness, that she had failed to notice if Muradi felt the same way.

Sitting alone in the elephant's clearing, Sarafina had snorted once, deeply. What a fool--she had been acting like a complete fool! Her mother had raised her so much better than this, she scolded herself. If Muradi loved Taka in return, she should feel happy for the both of them; they had found true love in a land filled with the motto 'hunt or be hunted'.

Now, Sarafina found herself approaching the edge of the Mauko wasteland once more. The afternoon had brought her a certain clarity to her situation--she should simply live and let live, allow Taka his once chance at happiness. She rationalized that it was simply not the true Taka she was encountering anymore; it seemed as though an imposter had taken up residence inside of his heart. As a child, he was so frightened of the prospect of serving beneath Mufasa (who often bullied him behind Ahadi and Uru's backs), clinging on to the one thing that kept him safe...Sarafina. Perhaps he realized that he no longer needed security from her, she mused. He had secured a position of great importance in the land and with it seemed to claim arrogance. No longer was he the scared child who knew his place--servant to his brother, lover of only one lioness. He was self-confident, he deserved a better treasure than the meek and mere Sarafina. He deserved someone like the bold and gorgeous Muradi.

The lioness, a girl covered in a luxuriously groomed pelt of peach and tawny, finally found a smile coasting across her features. She was near the border of the Mauko, though it seemed she was alone for now. Perhaps that was better, she craved this alone time to consider herself without any undue fear or conversation. She was not the best lioness in the pride--Uru, Fikara and Muruwa were the most beautiful and best skilled. Uru was a loving and kind queen, Fikara was a steady rock who would put things into perspective (whether or not you agreed with her views) and Muruwa brought down even the hardiest of creatures. Her peers, Sarabi and Muradi, were also much better than she. It appeared as though they would share a Queenship over the lands and they were both well-groomed to the task, even unofficially. They had tact, they were wise beyond their years, they both seemed to share a passion in the hunt that Sarafina lacked.

So, she was simply not the best--and why would a prince settle for anything less? Perhaps she would remain the good friend, the companion, the lioness who would stay behind and mind the children while the others hunted. Perhaps she would spend her youth acquiring many stories to pass on to Mufasa and Taka's progeny. She found that she could accept this and fully did so at that moment, stripping herself of any beauty and worth beneath the naked, twinkling stars.

* * *

Sarabi sat stoically on the hilltop, her eyes sweeping the length of the Mauko's border. Sarafina's scent was growing stronger minute by minute and, depending on the direction of the wind, so was the scent of a stranger--though that scent blended so well with the Mauko's own it was terribly difficult for Sarabi to decipher. She knew that her sister was somewhere in the concealing grasses and she never left her post, sentry for Sarafina.

* * *

Ni picked his way cautiously along the Mauko border, gaunt and starving. After Sarafina had left, abandoning her kill, he took it and devoured it like a vulture. In this he took a great shame, feeling no better than a jackal or any other scavenger. He slept during the day, secured away in an old termite mound locating on the edge of the savannah, a great monument on the precipice of a slope that led deep into the wastelands. Night found him pacing the border, never quite entering the Pride Lands but never venturing deep into the Mauko itself. He was caught in the crossroads, a ghost of the past, come back to haunt those he once loved.

He had been observing Sarafina for quite a while now, picking her scent apart like an experiment. She smelled of mother's milk although she had long since ceased nursing--it was a smell he associated with lionesses, something that they carried with them for the rest of their lives. She smelled faintly of jasmine, and he fondly recalled strolling the seemingly eternal patches with his betrothed, Uasiku. There were also the collective smells of her pride mates, though they were also faint and almost indecipherable now that she had begun to pick up the stink of the Mauko. His heart skipped a beat when he was able to identify both his mother and father, mere ghosts clinging to her fur. This had excited him deeply and he wondered of her--is she his sister? Or perhaps even a half-sister? He had finally come out of the shadows, drawn by the scent of the hare's blood. His survival instinct was strong and almost controlling, but he dared not take her kill from her. There were too many possibilities within her.

So he stalked into the night, a pauper amidst princes, to seek out his secretive lioness. Though they had only spoken once, shortly and tensely, he had already claimed her as his own. It was his right, as a nomad who owned nothing, to have just a shred of happiness...and he may have found it, someone who could relate to him the fate of his family.


	15. Between Sisters

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: BETWEEN SISTERS

Sarafina drew ever closer to the strange, enchanting border of the Mauko, her eyes wide and her heart thumping with excitement. Very little did she feel alive anymore--this vast stretch of wasteland seemed to infuse a desire in her so great that she didn't dare question it. Her lithe figure moved quickly and quietly through the swaying grasses, completely intent upon waiting throughout the night for that strange, ghostly lion.

She escaped the cover of the grasses, listening as they whispered gently against her flaxen coat. There was a strange pocket of silence in that moment, a tiny second where everything seemed to stand still and vibrantly clear to her. However, the wiles of the serengeti began to settle in again once she completely came out into the open, standing on bare, moon-bathed earth. There came a crashing through the grasses, very much the opposite of her water-like gliding, silent and swift.

Sarabi nearly burst from the grasses, her broad hunter's paws slapping the earth in a frantic rhythm. She had spied her sister's figure moving carefully through the grasses toward the edge of the death-lands; she began to pursue her carelessly, her mind racing. It startled Sarafina, and the lioness turned her ears back and exposed her eyeteeth--until she recognized that the approaching creature was her sister.

"What are you doing here!' Sarafina nearly spit out, heart drawn up into her throat. "You frightened me!" Her tail began to lash about at her hocks, a reaction both nervous and angry. She stared Sarabi squarely in the eyes, furious at being discovered in her secret spot.

Sarabi drew in a deep breath, attempting to slow her breathing and her rapidly beating heart. "I should ask you the same, 'Fina! What business do you have out here in the land of the dead? There's nothing here for you!"

"There is nothing left for me in the pride, either--haven't you seen that? Now that Taka is set to be King, he has refused me and set his sights on the oh-so-beautiful Muradi--has Mufasa told you nothing?" Sarafina said, her eyes still glittering with frustration.

Sarabi frowned, sitting heavily on her haunches in the middle of the clearing. The Mauko stretched on endlessly to her left while her bluff, where she watched diligently for her sister, loomed over her right shoulder. "What? ...What?" Her tail tapped nervously at the ground.

Sarafina looked deeply at her sister, reading her expression: this was obviously news to her. "Mufasa ...didn't tell you? Sarabi, I thought you knew!"

"I suppose that's what you would think, seeing as how you've not spoken to anyone about anything lately, Sarafina. The entire pride is so worried about you--your mother can hardly keep her thoughts on the hunt. That's a dangerous situation to put her in, you know! She could be kicked or trampled while her mind wanders to her mysterious daughter!"

The peach-colored lioness sighed and hung her head, completely void of her tough facade. Sarabi's words managed to weasel their way into her mind and heart like no one else's; the opinion of her sister stood high above the opinion of everyone else. "I'm sorry, sister--maybe if I told you everything you'd understand."

Sarabi sat paitently, though a cross expression stood out on her otherwise lovely face. "I'm listening, 'Fina."

Sarafina began to tell her sister everything that she could, spilling out her emotion as if it were a poison working its way through her bloodstream. She began with the day she overhead Taka confessing his feelings for Muradi to Mufasa...and ended with the strange encounter she had with Ni. Exhausted, fresh tears trickling down her cheeks, she sat and trembled in the night.

Of course, Taka had told her everything earlier that same day. She feigned that she knew nothing to draw Sarafina's unbiased tell-of-the-tale out of her.

Her sister climbed to her paws and moved to her, offering her a gentle nuzzle. "Oh, honey, I had absolutely no idea what had happened. I suppose it is my fault, I was a bad sister to you." She nudged Sarafina's chin with the bridge of her nose, prompting the lighter lioness to look into her eyes. "I should have made more of an effort to see how badly you were hurting. How foolish of me! I've been so wrapped up with Uru's lessons...hunting, learning the lessons of a Queen consort...I will make a terrible wife if I can't even sense my own sister's suffering."

Sarafina accepted Sarabi's affection and offered her a tattered laugh. "Sarabi, don't even begin to say such things about yourself! You are being pulled in so many directions I can hardly blame you for overlooking me and my meager problems. I forgive you, Sa'bi, fullheartedly. But can you see what's become of me?"

The future Queen of the Pride Lands withdrew from her sister and stared her down silently. Regarding her sister, she offered her a bright smile, saying quietly to her, "Sarafina, you are a diamond in the rough. You have so much potential, but you're letting a stupid lion take the best parts of you. Taka is not the last lion you'll ever encounter! He's normally so sweet and mild-mannered, but this 'future King' business has gone straight to his head." She paused, lifting a paw and tapping Sarafina lightly on the forearm. "As for this 'Ni' lion, you had better let Ahadi know about this. He could be dangerous, not only to you but to the entire pride!"

Horror filled Sarafina's heart almost immediately at her sister's words and she began to shake her head briskly. "Sarabi, no--please don't tell. I have this feeling in my heart that he would never hurt me...please trust me on this. There's something so strangely fascinating about him...I can't get him out of my thoughts. I need to know more."

Sarabi blinked at her sister's confession--then grinned. "Do you like him? You do, don't you!" She laughed lightly and lidded her eyes; though she never trusted any lion who wandered the borders of the Pride Lands, she couldn't help but hope he could help her sister get over this Taka foolishness. It went against her grain--as the future wife of the King, she knew that interlopers would be severely punished should they show any signs of aggression. However...she had been Sarafina's sister longer than she had been Mufasa's intended, and blood was, of course, thicker than water. "...Fine, fine. As you wish. I will say nothing of the strange lion to Ahadi... or anyone, for that matter. But don't you dare prove me wrong, little sister."

Sarafina laughed, this time a bit stronger than before. Her tears had ceased and dried and only the beginning of a smile remained on her youthful face. She was beginning to see clearly now--nothing like before, when her thoughts only seemed clarified by her emptiness and anger. This was a pure, clean feeling that she carried in her heart. There was something new and exciting about this feeling, a sense of freedom and inhibition. Total abandon! This caused her smile to grow into a grin and she leaned deeply into her sister, purring.

"Now, will you please start behaving like a good girl and come home with me? You just leave Taka to me and hopefully we can figure this out together." Sarabi said in a gentle voice. Sarafina muffled a response around her deep, grateful purrs. The two lionesses rose and began to travel to Pride Rock, moving up a slender but well-used path through the grasses. The walk was slow and calm, unlike their seperate arrival to the edge of the Mauko: frantic, frenzied and worried.

Sarafina couldn't help but cast a furtive glance over her shoulder as she disappeared into the grasses...looking for her strange ghost-lion.

--

Ni had covered nearly two miles before Sarafina's scent filled his waiting, seeking nostrils. His tail began to twitch nervously, his ears drawn back in excitement--even her scent caused his heart to race, his blood to pump faster and harder in his veins. He couldn't remember ever feeling so ferally alive; such a strange and enticing emotion he was experiencing! He moved forward, his paws connecting with the earth...faster and faster, kicking up minute dust-flurries.

He was within half of mile of her before he picked up another scent--Sarabi's. This aroma was alien to him and somehow he knew to steer clear of it; it had a power to it that Sarafina's didn't. His lioness had a smell of insecurity, but this... this smelled like security, a sturdy scent. One that he knew he couldn't compete with. It was definitely another lioness, but he didn't want to risk ruining his chances of finding out about his family. He simply stood there for an uncharted amount of time, testing the two aromas mixed together...the smell of pride lionesses.

Somehow it put a thorn in his heart, that term--'pride lionesses'. Without warning, Ni swat angrily at the earth and turned, loping off into the night. He had no particular destination in mind...he only knew that he could never cross his father's border again. It was very unlion-like, it was an action of disrespect and contained absolutely no loyalty. He knew where his place was--to be alone in the unforgiving wilderness.

He finally came upon a small lull in the earth, not quite a valley but enough of an impression in the ground to hide him from the rest of the world. He descended carefully into the little basin, feeling his emotions threatening to spill up and out of him in the form of tears. To redirect it, he swat again at the earth, digging his claws deep into the soil and leaving long rifts behind. He knew why that term upset him so badly... it was Uasiku's fault.

Uasiku had been his best friend growing up in the pride. His father and mother approved of their relationship fullheartedly, smiling down on their son and his girl like the sun. Uasiku's mother had been more insecure with the company her daughter was keeping, insisting that her only child be paired with someone of more worth--to her, Ni was only a commoner because his mother did not carry the title of Queen. Uasiku would constantly fight her mother's opinions and would endure her near-constant litany of 'you-shouldn't-see-him' and 'he's-merely-a-half-breed' to be with Ni. The two would steal off into the jasmine patches together, talking of the stars and of their future together.

One night, however, Ni turned to Uasiku and muttered, "Father will not let me be King, I can feel it in the way he looks at me. So sad, so full of pity. Mother has begun training me to leave the pride." His face wore sadness and despair and Uasiku had cradled it with a paw, kissing his cheek tenderly.

"If you go, so will I. We'll face the world together! Nothing can stop us from being with each other, my love."

At that time, Uru had been heavily pregnant and was due to give birth any day. When that day finally came, Uru was both pleased and saddened that she had not only one male, but two...her darling little Ni, her little honey-tree, was going to be cast out of the pride. Though she was not his mother by birth, she took as much part of raising him as Fikara did. She loved him just as he were her own, and it broke her heart that he could not stay.

Fikara and Ahadi began to intensify Ni's training, almost pushing him to a point where he could take no more. He came to Uasiku with tears in his eyes, whimpering like a cub. "I'm so scared, Ua... I'm going to be cast out like a leper. Will you still come with me?"

Uasiku had, of course, said yes and it eased Ni's mind for the time.

The day he was sent off into the world, he approached her for the last time. Uru had accompanied him, leaving Fikara to watch her two newly born children--though she, Ni's mother, loved her child very deeply, it made her heart bleed to see him. She had put up a barrier to help with the pain of losing him.

Uru urged Ni to speak with Uasiku, though he was terribly frightened and quivering. Uasiku had stood near her mother, eyes large and filled with tears, ears turned back. "I cannot go with you, Ni. I must stay here and fulfill my duty as a pride lioness."

On the tail of that, Uasiku's mother bared her teeth and spoke harshly to the young lion, "If you had been of her blood," she threw a pointed stare at Uru, "you would be staying...and Uasiku could have been Queen. Go away, half-breed! You are not desired here any longer."

This had, of course, ignited an unstoppable fire in Uru--her love for Ni outweighed her need for that nasty Thibiti and she was soon at Ahadi's ear, telling her husband the horrible things Uasiku's mother had said of his own son. Thibiti had been cast out from the pride only a week after Ni was left to venture off into the unknown, left to his own devices. It was a painful time in the pride, but Uru had full support. Thibiti had been a thorn in everyone's side since childhood and there were lionesses who were not sad to see her go.

Unbeknownest to everyone, including Uru herself, Fikara had struck off after the lioness and the two fought long and hard. Fikara had emerged as the victor, leaving Thibiti behind for the hyenas to find. She never outright killed Uasiku's mother, but her actions would have put her out of the pride if anyone had found out. Nobody insulted Fikara's children.

That had been long ago, when Ni was merely a year old. He was now nearing his second year and his life expectancy and quality didn't seem to hold much in the way of length or happiness. He finally let go of this memory, sending Uasiku's ghost out of his mind without much resistance; there was someone else there to fill her place now, as unattainable as she may be. He cared not if Sarafina was his sister, cousin or merely another unrelated face in the pride...she was his, and he felt that he could love her deeply. The only question that remained was this: how should he love her? Like a sister, like a friend, as a lover? He intended to have her in his life one way or the other...but he knew that he would have to approach her cautiously. She was not alone.

He left her alone that night, but he would be back--and he knew she would be there waiting for him.


End file.
